Wintering

 On January 24, 2021, I listed to Krista Tippet, host of "On Being", speak with Katherine May, author of  "Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times".  It spoke to me.  Deeply.  

I have chronic medical conditions; some explained and others still a mystery.  These became unavoidable as a pre-teen, but I adapted and kept going.  Eleven years ago we found out a piece to the puzzle after my sister's death.  Five years ago my conditions began changing again, worsening, adding co-morbid friends.   As of tomorrow I will be on medical leave for several months.

I'm wintering.

My primary reason for agreeing, yes, agreeing since medical providers have encouraged me to do this for a couple of years, is to get control of my illnesses.  Spend time resting, recovering, managing.  But, it also provides me time for self reflection, rediscovering parts of me pushed aside so I could manage my illness, family, career.  A time to learn.

Someone early in my life told me that she learns something new every day.  Sometimes these are big things, sometimes these things are little.  She stated very clearly that the day she does not learn something new is the day she knows she died.  This stuck with me.  

Our world is adapting, changing, learning, and growing in large ways during this Covid pandemic.  A type of Wintering itself.  So I feel emboldened to take a step towards slowness.  I am not good at change and love my routines.  But, that means reflecting each day can become part of my new daily routine.